Blog

Report May 14, 2018

The osprey are back and on their nests, the antelope are out on the Flat Ranch meadows and the curlews have joined them; the bears are coming out of their dens and several have been spotted around the area, and I’m back from my winter fly fishing show tour. Doug, Joey, and I had a great show season where we had the opportunity to meet and make new friends and to visit with old ones. Now it’s time to get back into the shop and get down to business.

Box Canyon: Warming temperatures have melted most of the snow at the Box Canyon put in and take out allowing floaters access to the Canyon. Fishing has been very good drifting double nymph rigs under an indicator. Try size 6 black, brown or coffee/black rubber legs with a size 14 or 16 Shop Vac, brown beadhead Zebra Midge or brown Ram Caddis. Dead drifting streamer patterns has also produced some nice fish. I like drifting olive/white Box Canyon Bunnies or Headbanger Sculpin patterns.

Last Chance Area: There had been some very nice BWO and Midge hatches going on providing some decent dry fly opportunities, but the hatches seem to have stopped the last few days. You can still go out and drop a baetis nymph or midge pupa imitation under a dry fly and pick up a few fish. You will be blind casting and covering the likely looking holding water, but you will not be casting to rising fish. This section has produced some very nice fish for the guys who like to swing leech patterns and small streamers on their light/trout spey rods. I like swinging size 12 black, olive or natural pine squirrel leeches.

The Ranch: Closed to fishing until June 15th.

Wood Road: The road has only been passable for a few days and with recent rains I would be cautious driving in, but there has been some decent dry fly fishing on this section of the river. Look for BWO, midge and March Brown hatches.

Warm River to Ashton: The fishing has been very good to excellent with dry flies and nymphs. There have been good hatches of BWO’s, midges and caddis on this section of the river and the presence of these bugs has the fish in a feeding mood. We have had some rain over the past 24 hours so it is possible that the river has muddied up a bit. Stay tuned we will try to keep you updated.

Ora to Chester: This section of the river is experiencing the same hatches as the Warm River section with the same affect on the fish. The one difference is that the streamer fishing seems to be more productive on this section than up above.

Chester and below: The Fall River is bank full with snow melt and it is adversely affecting the water conditions and therefore the fishing on this part of the river.